By Peter Bukowski Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
BROOKFIELD, Wis. — When Brookfield resident Christine Druecke hit police officer Paul Dilger with her car in December 2009, she gave him and his family a life sentence, one of physical and emotional pain, not to mention financial hardship.
At least, that’s the way Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Kathryn Foster put it when she sentenced Druecke to eight months in jail for hitting Dilger and leaving the scene.
Dilger was standing outside, responding to a reported suicide attempt, when Druecke struck him.
Druecke, who turned herself in several days after the accident, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge than she originally faced. The Brookfield woman has maintained she didn’t realize she had hit a person when she got in an accident after midnight Dec. 11, 2009, on North Avenue in Brookfield.
"I don’t think we’ll ever find out what really happened that night, but because of her actions, my life is changed forever," Dilger told Foster at the Jan. 5 sentencing hearing.
"Unfortunately, no matter what sentence you really apply on her today, it’ll never repair the damage she’s caused." Probation denied The plea was meant to keep Druecke out of jail, and Waukesha County District Attorney Brad Schimel asked the judge for probation. Foster, though, insisted that probation wasn’t appropriate in this case because it didn’t balance against the damage Druecke caused.
Her decision was clearly influenced by statements made during the hearing.
"I see in my husband’s eyes every day how hard it is for him because he cannot go back to work for the city of Brookfield Police Department," Linda Dilger told the court. "Every day we live with the physical and psychological effects of this incident." Former Elm Grove Police Officer John Krahn, a close friend of Dilger who was himself catastrophically injured on the job, couldn’t fight back tears as Paul and Linda illuminated the ways this accident would prevent Dilger from fulfilling his vocation as a police officer.
Members of the gallery were audibly incredulous, mumbling to themselves, as Druecke’s attorney, David P. Geraghty, attempted to argue for leniency based on the fact that Druecke turned herself in. Geraghty argued that had she not gone to police, the Dilger family would never have known what happened the night Paul Dilger nearly died.
There was no physical evidence linking Druecke to the crime other than her own admission that she’d hit something about the same time and on the same street where Dilger was struck.
Brookfield police had been dispatched to a possible suicide call on North Avenue that night and, had there not been an ambulance just seconds away, it’s likely Dilger would not have survived the catastrophic injuries he suffered in the accident.
Character defense A slew of letters were sent to the court on behalf of Druecke, arguing that she is a good person and didn’t deserve to go to jail. Her defense team argued during the hearing that this single act was out of character for her and that her background should be taken into account.
It was an argument Dilger and his family flatly rejected.
"I’ve spent the last 12 years of my life as a police officer, and I’ve always been taught that justice is blind," Dilger explained.
"It doesn’t matter what your status is in the community; it doesn’t matter whether you’re rich or poor, or what race you are, or whether you’re a nice person. We all have to deal with the consequences of our actions." Foster agreed, noting that Druecke also had failed to notify police as to where she’d been earlier that night.
It wasn’t until an anonymous letter was sent to Waukesha County that it came to light that Druecke had been drinking at a local restaurant.
Foster explained that Druecke exercising her constitutional rights not to incriminate herself cannot be used to impugn her during a trial, but once she’s found guilty, her actions can be taken into account.
Druecke’s actions were the result of good lawyering, rather than the outcome being a good person, Foster said.
"Even good people who make mistakes have to be held accountable."
Copyright 2012 Journal Sentinel Inc.
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